


Summer Snow & Fire Flowers

by KikoRush96



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Backstory, Bonding, Canon Compliant, Ember Island (Avatar), F/M, Momtara, Uncertainty, Zuko's Childhood (Avatar), Zuko's Scar (Avatar), Zutara
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-06-20
Packaged: 2019-05-26 00:29:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14988824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KikoRush96/pseuds/KikoRush96
Summary: Katara finds out more than she bargained for one hot summer afternoon while hiding out in the Fire Nation.It was kind of like Ba Sing Se all over again.





	Summer Snow & Fire Flowers

**Author's Note:**

> So I wrote this with intent to be light-hearted and fun, but somehow it turned into a more serious and somber story with Zuko explaining what he went through as a child. I guess I just can't resist it!
> 
> This was inspired by how _hot_ it was in my house a couple of days ago because our air con went out. I'm sure I'll write the light-hearted version too, but hopefully you enjoy this one!
> 
> **If you have any fanfic requests, let me know in the comments!**

It was so HOT. Katara had no idea it could ever be so hot. This heat was different than the way the dessert had been when Appa had been taken. This was an oppressive, smothering kind of heat that, no matter what you tried to do, would not go away.

Kind of like an annoying firebender that had recently joined their group.

The Gaang were all lounging around, trying various tactics to stay cool during the hottest part of the day in the Fire Nation, and complaining about how utterly unbearable the heat was. Only Zuko, native to the nation they were hiding out in, seemed at ease, flipping through a book while he laid on the ground near the couch Katara was laying on. Sokka and Aang were trying to use Aang airbending to keep cool, but had to stop every few minutes so Aang could rest. Which, of course, had Sokka complaining and whining instantly. Suki was sipping on a smoothie she had made, hair pulled up out of her face. Toph was hiding inside an earth tent, which Katara was actually really tempted to go into.

And Katara?

Katara was fanning herself half-heartedly, wishing they could at least go to the beach or something, but the sun was so strong at this time of the day, even playing in the water was not enough to keep cool. Everyone was in various states of undress, the layers of clothing dragging everyone down. Sokka had been the first one to strip off a layer, and it was not long before everyone was laying around in their underclothes. 

"Anyone want some water?" She shifted her eyes from their spot on the ceiling to look at Aang, who was somehow still cheery despite the sweat on everyone's skin and the glaring sunlight pouring in through the window. How anyone could stay in the house one day, let alone an entire vacation, was beyond her. Firebenders were crazy.

"Only if you and Katara make sure there's ice in them." Aang cheerily went to fetch water to drink, Katara growling at the monk. Heat always put her in a bad mood, and she couldn't even use her bending to cool herself, and everyone else, off. It was the worst idea ever, coming to the Fire Nation in the dead of summer. She glared at the Fire Prince, still lazily reading his book, and when he didn't look over at her, she nudged his book with her foot, causing it to fall out of his hands and hit him in the face. Grumbling, he closed it and rose up slightly, resting on his elbow and raising a brow at her.

"What was that for?" She huffed at him and sat up, gesturing all around her as if it were obvious. Despite the fact she had most definitely forgiven him, and they were getting along much better than before, she still found it so easy (and maybe a little fun) to argue with the grumpy firebender. He was nice, sure, but he was still a stuck up Fire Nation Prince sometimes.

"For bringing us to the hottest nation in the world during the hottest time of year. We could die from heat strokes, you know." Zuko rolled his eyes at her, sitting up further now, knee bent and arm dangling from it, his other hand holding him up. His gold eyes gleamed in the sunlight.

"You do realize that there are quite a few people who live in the Fire Nation, right? That we deal with this every year? It will be fine in an hour or so. Besides, what about the poles? Can't people die from frost bite or hypothermia there?" Katara grumped, not so used to being out-argued by someone, least of all Zuko.

"Yeah, well...this still sucks and it's your fault." Zuko, annoyingly, didn't seem bothered by her accusation, sighing tiredly instead. 

"Yes, Katara. I am the reason it is extremely hot in the Fire Nation. I am the reason we are all stuck in this house until the comet arrives. I am the reason there is evil in the world. I got it by now." She hesitated, not liking the way he sounded so resigned, as if he'd just accepted those things as facts. He was her friend now, and she knew she'd never speak like that to any of her other friends. He had gone back to reading, his brows furrowed now and mouth set in a straight firm line. Suki, Sokka, and Toph were all sitting by the window, watching the sky and bickering over how long until it was acceptable to go outside and get in the water.

"I couldn't find any water, guys, but I did find moonpeaches!" The Avatar tossed a juicy fruit to each person, everyone suddenly in a much better mood. That is, except for Zuko, who waved Aang away when he tried to give him the fruit. The prince rose, skin shiny from the heat, and padded through the doors leading to outside. Katara stood from her seat, checking to see if everyone was okay without her, and followed, fruit left on her cushion.

A stiff breeze tugged at his hair and loose shorts, Katara nibbling her lip. She really hadn't meant to upset him. 

"Zuko?" She watched as his body tensed, her eyes skimming his back before she dragged them away and looked towards the beach, waves gently crashing onto the hot beach. The sun had moved away from the center of the sky, the intense heat of midday subsiding slightly, though the humidity still hung in the air.

"I don't get you, Katara." She snapped her head in his direction, surprised he was speaking to her at all. She stepped closer, hugging herself tightly. She was not used to being on such uneven ground with someone, with the reason being her inability to treat them like a normal person. Why was it so hard for her to be nice to him?

"You say you forgive me. You tell me we're friends and I'm part of the group now and everything is fine. Then you act like I'm still that idiot I was all those months ago - years ago; that I'm still that desperate banished prince that chased you all around the world. You pick fights with me and talk to me like I'm dirt on the ground or like I'm some pesky bug that won't go away. I just, I don't understand. You don't act like that with anyone else, even Toph." He shot her a look before he stepping away from her, slowly making his way to the water. She stood there a moment longer, watching him, before following after.

To be honest, she had no idea why she acted like that. Katara wasn't someone to antagonize anyone purposefully, yet with Zuko, she just couldn't help it. She _had_ forgiven him. She wasn't lying when she said he was part of the group; that they were friends. But she couldn't stop arguing with him. She couldn't figure out why, but she just knew she needed to bicker with him. Maybe she could go about it nicer in the future, though. She never wanted to hurt anyone's feelings.

When she finally reached the beach, she found him sitting in the sand, toes in the water, knees curled up to his chest and eyes on the horizon. The sun burned into his back, and Katara winced as she noticed it turning a sharp shade of pink. That was going to hurt later on.

When she approached, he turned his head to look at her, eyes narrowing before turning back to the water. She sat down beside him, keeping a safe distance, and adopted the same posture, though she was watching his face instead. The slight breeze offered her a glimpse at the scarred side of his face, her fingers tingling as she remembered touching the ragged pink skin there, the contrast between his unharmed skin and his burned face piquing her interest, despite the fact at the time he'd been an enemy.

She had been so stupid, back then, to let herself bond to the same firebender who had been chasing them all over the world trying to capture Aang. She had realized, later, her immense anger towards him had been partly due to the shame she carried from letting herself fall for his stupid sob story, had offered her precious spirit water so that he could possibly be free from his scar and his burdens. She had felt beyond betrayed when he turned on them and helped Azula, having been so sure he was on her side, even for a brief moment. She wondered, sometimes, why he had done that.

Lost in her thoughts, she hadn't realized she'd been staring at him so long, or that he had finally noticed.

"You don't need to stare at it." She blinked rapidly, blushing furiously as she realized he must have thought she was staring at the scar marring half his face. He looked incredibly uncomfortable, shoulders now around his ears.

"I wasn't staring at your scar. I was thinking, actually. About Ba Sing Se." At that, he looked at her again, lips tugged down at the corner.

"I thought we were past that." She shifted her gaze out over the water, closing her eyes against the breeze. She had her chance to ask him, to finally get the answer to the question that had been bugging her since he had joined them. And even when she forgave him for the transgressions of his nation, of himself, she had still wondered.

"We are. But there is something I've been wondering." Zuko leaned back on his elbows, ankles crossing and giving her a look.

"You're wondering why I sided with Azula in the end." She felt surprised, though in retrospect, she should have seen how obvious it was. They had bonded, just before Aang and Iroh had shown up, she had let herself care for him, and had been burned in the end. It was kind of a given that she'd finally want to know why. Zuko sighed, closing his eyes.

"You don't have to explain yourself, but yes. I have wanted to know for a while why you did that. It had seemed like you might have finally changed, and then you went right back to hunting Aang again. I didn't, still don't, understand what changed." The firebender looked up at her, eyes dark, and Katara wondered if he would tell her. Clearly, it was something he didn't want to think about, let alone talk about.

"That's because you don't understand what I was going through back then. Despite being banished by my own father and hunted by my own sister, I still wanted nothing more than to go home the prince my father could be proud of. That he could love. Obviously, later on, I figured out that couldn't happen, but at the time, I was so confused. I was just figuring out what I wanted, needed, to do, when Azula offered the one thing I had been searching my whole exile for. She said that my father would welcome me home as hero, my honor would be restored, and I would finally get everything I had ever wanted. I betrayed my uncle, nearly cost the Avatar his life, and nearly destroyed the whole world for my father's love and acceptance." Katara felt her heart crumble as he spoke, his voice smoky and soft. She could not imagine being in his place, her father not loving her so unconditionally, and suddenly so much made sense. He was just a boy trying to make his father proud of him; to make his father love him. She wanted to touch him, try and reassure him somehow, but she wasn't sure if she would be allowed.

"When I went home, I realized that despite having everything I ever wanted, I wasn't happy. No one there understood, Mai calling me an idiot more than once. Anyway, Azula somehow knew that I knew the Avatar was alive, and put the whole thing on me so that, when he turned up, my father would find I had failed him. I realized I was not doing what I was supposed to do, that my honor had not been restored, and I just had to fix everything. I had to make things right. So I went to find you guys. Thankfully, I had experience in that area." She picked up on the joke he made, but she felt too upset to laugh. His family was beyond messed up, and she felt so badly for him. He was just a broken boy searching for his place in the world, and she suddenly longed to fix him. To put him back together and somehow make him the man he could have turned into, had he not been cast out from his family and home.

Zuko must have caught the look on her face, the shift in mood, because he shook his head and smiled at her.

"It's fine, Katara. I realized my true destiny in the end, and I will make sure my father falls. No matter the cost. You don't have to look at me like that." She felt tears welling up then, a sudden wave of sadness and sympathy washing over her. Sniffling, she uncurled from the ball she had pulled herself into and, ever so slowly, reached out to him. There was so much she wanted to know, wondering just how deep the wounds went. She wanted him to unburden himself, share all those dark parts of his past with her so she could heal them with her abilities, but before she could say anything, ask him a single thing, a shout sounded behind them, the other members of their group rushing down towards the beach. Zuko noticed too and, with a small smile, rose slowly from the sand and offered his hand. She took it shyly, holding his gaze even as she was pulled to her feet, hand coming up to his chest to steady herself.

"Come on, Katara! Let's get in and surf!" She looked over her shoulder at Aang, so young and carefree, his grey eyes burning with unspent energy. Sokka was already working in the sand, Suki looking on with a fondness Katara suddenly wished she could have. Zuko pulled away from her, startling her a little, and walked over to where Toph was making something in the sand. Katara felt like the earth beneath her feet had shifted suddenly, and she really wasn't in any mood to play on the beach, despite that being one of her favorite things to do. The Avatar was still waiting for her, smile brighter than the Fire Nation sun, but she just couldn't do it.

Not at the moment.

"Actually Aang, I want to go the market before it gets too late. We need dinner supplies. You go ahead, though! But when I get back, I want to run through your waterbending before dinner." The Avatar's face fell at her words, but he didn't stay on the beach long after that. She made her way back towards the house, still thinking about what Zuko had told her. She wondered about his scar, about his banishment, about his relationship with his crazy sister...she wanted to hear everything right then, though she figured he would never want to talk about that. With a jolt of guilt, she realized her antagonistic behavior towards him might have closed that door to her forever. She definitely would never have a heart-to-heart with someone who constantly picked at her and made her feel worse about herself.

Sighing heavily, she picked up the money pouch Sokka usually carried, grabbed a large basket, and began heading towards the market.

 

It was much later in the evening, everyone else sleeping, when she stood on the beach again, watching the moon slowly rise in the sky. Dinner had been the usual noisy affair, save for herself and Zuko. Toph nudged her at one point, actually being subtle for the first time since Katara had met her, and quietly asking what was wrong. Nothing was really wrong, per say, so she just smiled and tried to sound chipper when she replied. Toph, of course, didn't believe her, but for some reason, she didn't push it.

Now on the beach, squishing her toes in the sand, she let her mind wander over the events of the year. They were so close to the end, but she wondered, just for a moment, what would happen if they failed. What if they, a group of kids, couldn't stop the Fire Nation? Would Katara have to suffer more loss than she already had? Would her friends have to mourn her own passing? She didn't doubt that Aang would be able to stop Ozai, but she still wondered. How much farther was the Fire Lord going to take the war?

"Katara?" She turned, spotting the lean form approaching, his shaggy hair hanging around his face again. He seemed like he was always trying to hide from someone, appear as invisible as possible, and it made her think back to their conversation earlier in the day. He was at her side in the blink of an eye, looking out over the dark waters. He looked somewhat more relaxed at least.

"What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be asleep?" His question was a valid one, considering how much work they had to do in the next few days, but his question was also one she could easily return back to him. Why was the firebender, someone who 'rose with the sun', out so late?

"Probably, but I couldn't sleep. I have a lot on my mind. What about you? Don't firebenders wake really early?" He scuffed the ground with his boot, avoiding her eyes.

"We do, but I have never been some one who can sleep that well. Anything wakes me, and sometimes I can't even get to sleep. Whenever I can't sleep, I come out here and think." She nodded, though she wondered about his sleeping problem. Katara never had issues with sleep, save for when Aang had her particularily worried about something, or if she was unable to sleep due to caring for someone, or flying on Appa. If he didn't nap during the day, and couldn't sleep at night, how was he able to function? It was worrisome, and as a natural healer, Katara felt the pull to help him. The only issue was, she wasn't sure how to help him sleep.

Sighing, she sat down in the sand, chin resting on her knees, and decided to watch the water again. No sense thinking about it when she wasn't even sure if she could help, or if he wanted her to. He sounded as if it was no big deal that he couldn't sleep. She didn't want to intrude on him, which was weird considering with the others, she would usually demand they let her help them because she never wanted anyone to suffer. Not that she wanted Zuko to suffer, but she didn't want to barge into his life and problems without him being okay with it. With the others, she would just charge in, no matter how much they hated it at first, and heal them. 

It was so off-balance and strange for her. Hesitating to help.

"What were you down here thinking about? If you don't mind me asking?" He had sat down beside her, hands behind him, and looked up at the sky. She appreciated the respectful way he'd asked her and, despite not wanting to worry anyone, she decided to share her fears with him. She had to tell someone, right? Why not her former enemy turned friend?

"I was just thinking about what would happen if we failed? What if the Fire Lord is able to defeat Aang? What if we lose someone in our group? What if I-" She broke off as sharp gold eyes met hers, brow drawn down slightly. 

"Don't finish that sentence, Katara." She nodded meekly, wondering if he was upset at her lack of confidence in their group, or maybe he thought she was doubting his ability to teach Aang about firebending in time, and waited for him to say something else. After a moment, he looked out over the water again, eyes closed.

"I worry about that too. My father, my nation, they are powerful and determined. My father, especially, will not stop until he gets what he wants. I know Aang is strong, that we are all strong, but I still wonder too. We just have to train hard and not let defeat be an option." She marveled at his confidence, the way he spoke so authoritatively while also being reassuring and gentle. He was going to make a great leader, once the war was over.

"I guess I'm glad I'm not the only one. I mean, I don't doubt how prepared we are, how powerful Aang is, and how brilliant Sokka can be, even though he's an idiot about a lot of other things. It's just. It's always in the back of my mind. There is always the possibility, no matter what, that we could lose. It scares me." She had never admitted that out loud before, and while it felt good to get out, it also made her feel incredibly weak. She was a master waterbender, Toph was a prodigy earthbender, Zuko was a master firebender, and of course they had the Avatar. Not to mention Sokka and Suki, who were incredible in their own rights. She shouldn't be so afraid of losing when everyone around her was a master at something, but they were still kids. They were still inexperienced people. 

And Aang's flight-risk behavior in the past worried her a little.

"My Uncle always told me whenever I was afraid that I needed to feel that fear and use that to push me. It's okay to be scared, Katara. We are in a war between nations that has lasted for 100 years. We are trying to stop the war without more than our bending or fighting skills and the hope the Avatar brings. We should be afraid, but we have to use that to drive us to get ready for the comet." Katara nodded, knowing he was right. She looked over at him, a small smile breaking over her lips.

"You? Afraid? I can't imagine it." Zuko chuckled, shrugging his shoulders and keeping his eyes ahead.

"There is a lot to be afraid of when you're cast out so young. There's a lot to be afraid of when you're not certain of your future. But, fear is natural. It's what you do with it that matters. As you see, I use it to keep going. Well, that, and whole lot of rage." She giggled at him, the sound surprising them both. He looked over at her, the moon falling over him in a really breathtaking way. Startled by the thought, she jerked her head the other way, fiddling with her hair nervously.

"Tomorrow is going to have to be business again. Aang is nearly ready, but his firebending needs fine tuning, and I'm sure Toph wants to drill him some more. She needs some earthbending friends." Katara kept her gaze averted, drawing absently in the sand with her fingers. As silence hung around them, she felt the questions she had bubbling up, and there was a longing to spill the stories and feelings she had pent up inside to him, which was really foreign to her. 

"Um, have you ever heard the joke about the dragon and the lionturtle?" Katara realized with a start that Zuko was trying to find things to say, which surprised her a bit. He didn't seem like the type, but rather someone who would be silent if there was nothing to say. Rather than suffer through Zuko trying to tell a joke (which was just sad), she turned to him and smiled.

"You're awfully chatty tonight." She couldn't tell, the moonlight washing his face out, but she swore he was blushing. He shifted on the sand, busying himself with taking his boots off. 

"And you know your jokes are horrible. Your poor Uncle would be ashamed of that tea joke." She waited for him to bite, hoping he understood this was her teasing him, rather than trying to put him down. Thankfully, he eventually gave her a look, brow raised.

"I'm sure yours are so much better, right? You tell me one, then, oh Queen of the Jokes. A joke my Uncle would be proud of, not one of Sokka's." Katara opened and closed her mouth, caught off guard by his challenge. He was smirking at her, the picture of perfect patience as he waited for her to either come up with a joke, or admit she had nothing. Not one to back down from an obvious challenge, she tried to think of a joke her brother had told that people actually laughed at, but nothing came up. After what felt like hours, Zuko finally nodded, eyes gleaming in victory.

"That's what I thought. You're no better than me at telling jokes." Katara huffed, a warm sensation settling into her chest. Something about the conversation left her feeling extremely content and in a much better mood, and she wanted more of that. The only problem was she had no idea how to keep a conversation going with Zuko.

"Can I.. Can I ask you something kind of personal?" She steeled herself for his rejection, expecting him to clam up and change the subject, or maybe even go inside and leave her on the beach, but instead was met with curious eyes.

"I guess so, though I don't know why you want to." Excited and nervous at getting such a rare opportunity, she tried to sort through all the questions she had for him, but there was so much she wanted to know. As time went on, Zuko still waiting for this question, Katara became panicked, so she blurted out the first thing she could think of.

"What caused your scar?" His eyes widened, and Katara kicked herself for being insensitive. The scar was a sore subject, and she knew that. She watched Zuko make himself comfortable on the sand, eyes taking on a distant look and his face falling into a somber expression.

"When I was thirteen, my father let me sit in on a war meeting. They were talking about plans, deciding how they would conquer different places, and one of the generals suggested sending in young, inexperienced, soldiers to take the heat before the more experienced ones swooped in and conquered everyone. I thought that was a horrible idea, obviously, and voiced this. My father found that to be disrespectful, so I had to partake in an Agni Kai. A duel between firebenders. I thought I was going to fight the general, as I had thought it had been him I had disrespected, but it turned out to be my father in the arena. I wasn't going to fight my own father, obviously, so I bowed down and begged for mercy and forgiveness. My father saw this as weakness and even more disrespect, so as punishment, I was banished until I brought him the Avatar, and then he burned me, to remind me of what I had done." Katara gasped, unable to believe someone could be so callous towards their own son. It was no wonder Zuko was so angry all the time, and it also explained why he rarely spoke, unless he needed to. 

"Zuko, I'm so sorry." He shrugged, not meeting her eyes, and wriggled his toes in the sand.

"Yeah, well, it's in the past. You don't have to feel sorry for me. I'm not who I was back then, nor am I who I was during my exile. I guess I have my uncle to thank for that. I could have turned out like Azula." Katara found that extremely hard to believe. Even when he had been hunting them, he had never been as cold and calculating as his sister. His sister struck to kill. Zuko did not.

"I'm glad your Uncle was there for you. But what about your mother? Surely she had something to say about your father's treatment?" She instantly knew that was the wrong thing to say, Zuko's eyes flashing in pain. She knew that he had lost his mother somehow, but in the caverns under the Earth Kingdom, he had never elaborated. Just as she went to backtrack, maybe change the subject to something different, Zuko sighed and looked at her.

"My mother was a wonderful person. She was kind, read me bedtime stories, and kept Azula from picking on me too much. While my father was drilling Azula all hours of the day to impress our grandfather, Fire Lord Azulon, my mother would tell me stories and teach me how to treat others honorably and kindly. My father was no fan of this, obviously, but I cherished my time with her. I think Azula resented this, though." He paused, moving to lay down in the sand instead. Katara found herself caught up in his words, the smoky texture of his voice almost hypnotic, and she nearly screamed at him for stopping. Once he was comfortable, Katara's patience running thin, he finally drew in a calm breath.

"My father wanted to take my uncle's birthright and be next in line for the throne. His reason, apparently, being my uncle did not have any children and he did. My grandfather found this appalling, and as a test and punishment, my father was ordered to have me killed so that he could feel the pain of losing a first born son. A day later, my grandfather was dead, my father given the birthright, and my mother was gone. I still have no idea what really happened, or where she went, but that was long before my thirteenth birthday. She was not there to protect me from my father a second time." Katara felt tears welling up in her eyes. How one person could bear so much loss and punishment and still turn out into a decent human being was stunning. It was a true testament not only to his uncle, but to Zuko's true character.

Which made her feel so much worse for picking fights with him all the time, further making him feel like he was on the outside of the group. 

"Oh. I'm...Zuko I-" He only blinked up at the sky, breathing still calm and even. Katara had no idea how he did it, but it troubled her that he wasn't even the smallest bit upset.

"It's not worth getting upset over. It was so long ago, and I've had ample time to come to terms with what happened. This is why I must help the Avatar stop my father. If he could do that to his own family, imagine the horrible things he could do to people he doesn't even know. He and Azula are not good people. I only hope Aang can do what needs to be done in the end." Katara nodded, hugging her knees tighter. She had no idea the Fire Lord was so cruel, or that the Fire Prince, who had been a thorn in her side for so long, was just as much a victim as she and her people were. 

"We should probably go inside now. Get some rest before dawn." His words startled her, despite the fact that he was speaking so softly, she nearly missed them. He was standing slowly, stretching his body out before offering her a hand. Taking it, she noted the extra warmth under his skin, the slightly calloused skin if his fingers, the way their skin contrasted so strikingly under the glow of Yue. She looked up at him, just for a moment, and found him smiling, if only slightly. Rather than step away, as she probably should, she smirked and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Is the broody prince actually smiling for once?" Taken aback by her teasing, Zuko looked at her for a long moment, smile falling away. Annoyed, she poked him in the ribs, trying to get some sort of reaction from him. He easily batted her hand away, rolling his eyes and stepping back.

"I never smile, Katara. Comes with the title." It took her a moment to realize he was teasing her back, the corner of his mouth tilting up slightly. Surprised, but definitely pleased, she laughed.

"I think we're rubbing off on you, Prince Zuko. Smiling and teasing in a span of five minutes? So unlike the Prince we all know." Zuko huffed at her, though she caught something like unease falling over his features.

"I'm not a prince anymore, Katara. I'm a traitor of my nation now. I haven't been a prince in a long time." She never could understand why he was so stuffy all the time, why he never joked like everyone else and was always working on something, whether it be Aang's firebending, or his own swordsmanship. Katara, as mature and serious as she often was, seemed like Aang or Sokka compared to Zuko most of the time. In fact, before their talk by the water, she wasn't sure if Zuko could even smile and joke around with anyone. If all firebenders were as tense and focused as Zuko always was.

Now that she knew better, she wanted to see how many times she could pull that side out of him. No one could stay that serious all the time.

"Don't you ever want to have fun?" The firebender quirked a brow at her words. She knew it seemed kind of random, and obviously he had thought the conversation was over, but it had come tumbling out without much thought. 

"We're in a war, Katara. How can you, or any of the others, even think of having fun when people are dying? It's my family's fault they are dying. I don't have time to goof off, or learn jokes, or sit around relaxing in the sun. I know I may seem like a jerk, and I know no one wants to fine tune their bending and fighting, but for me, it is my duty. I was destined to end the war my people started, and I don't want to risk failure by goofing off. I wish some of the others would do the same." She jerked back at his cold voice and serious tone, totally different from the warm smoky voice he'd been speaking in just before. She knew this better than anyone; how dare he lecture her about the importance of being ready for the war. She was just about to snap something at him when he gentled a hand on her shoulder, eyes sympathetic now.

"I know you understand the evils of war, of what my nation can do, but you do not understand what my _father_ can do. This is why I can't stop to have fun with you guys. Going to the play was a terrible idea, for more reasons than one, and I want to move forward with the mindset of no more distractions until Aang is fully ready to face the Fatherlord." Katara sighed, her defensiveness subsiding at his once again gentle tone. He was right, of course, but sometimes, she was tired of being the 'mother' of the group. She didn't always want to be the responsible one, the one that stopped everyone from having fun and exploring the many places they visited. She especially hated doing it to Aang, who was so young and carefree, it was like trying to cage a wild animal.

She hated having to be the grown up all the time.

"Would it be such a crime to have fun right now? Maybe, just for a moment, we could stop being fighters in a war and just be kids." Zuko considered this for a moment, which had Katara suddenly hopeful, and then he sighed.

"I don't see what we could possibly do so late at night, here at the beach, where we are hiding from the very nation we are staying in. But, just this once, I'll hear you out. What do you want to do?" Giddy at the prospect of a partner in crime, she looked all around her, trying to think of something they could do that wasn't responsible and meant for war. Something fun that a fourteen and sixteen year old could do. 

Unfortunately, her mind came up blank, and no matter how hard she tried, she just kept finding nothing to do. She glanced over at Zuko, who was still where she'd left him, his posture stiff but expectant. She had to prove to the stuffy prince that war and fun could be had; she had learned that lesson herself from Aang and Toph.

"Well, you lived here. What is there to do?" Zuko scratched at his chin, face scrunching up adorably as he tried to think. Then, with a steely determination, he dropped to his knees and began digging at the sand. It took her a moment to realize he was...playing in it.

They lacked the shovels and pails Sokka had, and the earthbending Toph often used, but after a little while, they had some sort of sand sculpture up, Zuko's eyes narrowed in determination as he molded the sand with careful hands, Katara more or less haphazardly patting it in place. She was used to sculpting ice with her bending, so she became increasingly frustrated when sand kept falling from where she was putting it. As she growled in anger yet again, gentle hands came up, showing her her to press the sand down without knocking more down in the process. The smooth pale skin was speckled with sand, and Katara watched, transfixed, as he scooped another handful and patted it down, perfectly smooth when his hands pulled back. Embarrassed by her staring and awestruck feeling, she grumbled at him and went about copying his movements.

"Stupid firebenders and their firebending. I bet that's why your side looks so smooth. What are we even making, anyway?" Zuko was silent for a long moment, still patting away at the sand, so Katara continued to grumble and dig.

"We are making nothing, really. Not with the way you were just lumping on the sand. I was trying to make a dragon, though. But this is kind of fun, getting to just not worry about anything other than this...mound of sand and water." She looked over to him, watching his face for a moment, and decided she liked how relaxed he looked. She wondered if he would be open to the same thing the next night.

A while later, and she was getting irritated by his perfectionism, the way he would (gently) move her out of the way to correct something. It was becoming less fun, and more like making something to impress a ruler of a nation. The sand dragon was actually pretty impressive, and Zuko looked incredibly proud of his work, but she was quickly becoming bored with it. An idea struck her suddenly, tip toeing back a few steps. He didn't even notice she was leaving him, too busy leaning in to examine something. 

"Hey Katara, can you bend some water over here. I dried it out a little too much." Smirking, she took a deep breath and bent a large stream of water out of the ocean and right into him, the Fire Prince becoming a drowned animal in the blink of an eye. She giggled, stepping closer to inspect the damage. His clothes and hair were soaking wet, and when he finally saw her, he glared. 

"What was that for?" She fingered the sleeves of his shirt, laughing at how wet they were. The fabric clung to him, and his hair hung limply in his face, blocking his eyes from her for a moment. 

"You said you needed water, so I gave you some." She watched in silent amazement as steam began billowing up from his clothes, clearly the work of some crafty firebending. Once he was dried off, save for his poor hair, he crossed his arms at her and shook his head.

"I wanted it for the SAND, not my clothes. If I smelled so bad, why didn't you just tell me?" She went to correct him, swear up and down she had just been playing around and that he didn't smell bad at all, quite the contrary actually, but just as she opened her mouth, apology on her tongue, he smiled. A real one, with teeth and everything, and shook his head.

"That was too easy." Realization burned through her, cheeks heating up despite the cool air around them, and she nearly slapped the stupid look off his face.

"That was mean. I thought I had accidentally hurt your feelings or something." She watched his smile fall a little, and she wondered when they were going to be able to do this without wondering if they were stepping on toes. 

When a moment had passed of silence, she looked over at him. He held out his hand, and she nearly took it (though she didn't know why), a flame sparking right above his palm. She had never really seen firebending so up close before, aside from when Aang had first tried it, so, with a glance up at his face, she stepped closer. 

"I was trying to think of something else we could do, since my sand dragon was ruined by some pesky waterbender, and remembered some ornamental firebending I had learned when I was younger. I don't practice it much, but I can do a little. Want to see?" She nodded excitedly, remembering the ornamental bending she had seen at a festival they had attended a while ago. If Zuko could do even a fraction of what that guy did, she'd be impressed.

"Now don't get too excited. My training has been mostly for battle, so I may not be able to make much. But maybe you could try some waterbending too." She watched the flame in his hand flicker for a moment, then he shaped it into a flower. Apparently Katara was easily pleased, gasping in awe as the tiny flower seemed to come alive in his hand. In a blink it was gone, and he then created two flames, one for each hand. Concentrating, he tossed one over his head and caught it with the other one, two little flames dancing side by side. 

"That was pretty neat. The flower thing was very lovely, too." She missed the look he gave her, but she didn't miss the way the flames flared a little, burning a little hotter than before. He snuffed them out, coughing a little and shrugging when she gave him a curious look.

"Sorry. It's just...no one has really complimented my bending before, I guess. My mother was the only one who thought my ornamental bending was neat, and the flower had been her favorite thing. I used to do it all the time, and when i was banished, I would create it whenever I was alone. It reminds me of her, and makes her feel closer." Katara smiled, feeling a little nervous energy at his admission, and placed a hand on his arm.

"Well, it was very wonderful. I forget that fire can be beautiful too." Zuko coughed again, eyes falling over the water instead of looking down at her, and she wondered, not for the first time, what he was thinking about. He was such a mystery to her, so locked up and guarded. 

"Can you do anything like that with your bending?" She blinked at his words, having been lost in her thoughts, and nodded. Water was definitely easier to manipulate than she imagined fire was, so she fell into a bender's pose and drew out a stream of water.

"I can make shapes. Spell names. Make snow. A few other things. What would you like to see?" She used this as an excuse to watch his face, wondering (at the back of her mind) why she needed an excuse at all. He looked thoughtful, and as he did nearly everything else, he was taking this very seriously. 

"I think I would like to see snow. I haven't any in a long time." It occurred to Katara that the last time he probably saw it was when was attacking her village, looking for Aang, and she wondered if he was thinking that too. Tossing that aside, she focused on working the water into a cloud, lowering the temperature before letting it burst, snowflakes falling around them. The childlike wonder that fell over Zuko's face warmed her heart, and made her want to do that same trick over and over until he tired of it.

"Incredible. In the Fire Nation, we don't ever see snow. Watching it fall onto a beach I have been to many times in my life is just...incredible." She did the trick again, this time bending it so that most of the snow fell on him. The flakes stuck in his hair and on his clothes for a moment before melting away. He smiled softly, looking up at the last flakes falling down.

"Thank you, Katara." She felt a blush color her cheeks, and a weird warmth centered in her chest at his words, but she moved on to spelling names in the sky. It was something she had learned to do whenever she was bored, practicing her own name until it looked like how it did when she wrote it, and she watched the surprise fall over the prince's face when she was able to spell out his name perfectly. She spelled out everyone's names after that, and then 'Ember Island'. He seemed incredibly impressed by that, which struck her kind of funny considering how many times they had fought. How many times they had bested and surprised each other with how far they had gone in their training.

They were both masters in their own right, yet here they were, marveling over simple ornamental bending.

"Incredible how beautiful each element can be. Toph makes sculptures, you make snow, I can make flowers...I'm not sure what Aang can do, actually." Katara chuckled, sending the water back to the source and shrugging.

"He can make rocks spin around in his hand with air. Ride around on it. Um....fly with it." Zuko snorted.

"Airbending is something else." She tried to stifle a yawn, not wanting to ruin the moment, but he, ever observant Zuko, saw her. He smiled then, and gestured to the house. 

"I think we need to get in. Day will be here soon, and we need our rest. The war doesn't stop just because we're having fun." Katara knew he was right, but she wanted to stay out on the beach, usually grouchy firebender at her side, and continue to make snow and fire flowers until the end of time. It was so nice, just getting to relax and enjoy someone's company, and she realized how different she felt around him than the others.

With the others, save for Suki, she felt the need to be 'mom-tara'. Always watching out for them, always on guard, and always having to be the stick in the mud. Suki, thankfully didn't need that, instead telling stories and sharing secrets with each other, but it was still different to how she felt standing there with Zuko.

Frankly, she didn't want it to end, and she wasn't sure why.

"Coming?" He was already a few feet away from her, a small flame hovering over his hand, and he was looking back at her with a raised brow. The light from the flame flickered over his face, his eyes glowing amber as he waited for her. She had never seen anything like it, the way the flame illuminated and shadowed different parts of his face, and she had to shake herself from her thoughts so she could slowly follow him back towards the house. They walked side-by-side, a peace falling over them, even though Katara's mind was buzzing.

Once inside, he cut the flame out and instead lit a few lanterns. She followed him through the house, even when he went into the kitchen for some tea, and when they finally got to where the rooms were, she hesitated in saying goodnight. She didn't want it to be over, but it was late, they were tired, and they did have work to do the next day. It was just this feeling coursing through her that she didn't want to lose, and she was afraid, once they said goodnight and went their separate ways, she would never feel it again. 

"See you in the morning." He bowed slightly to her, smiled, and disappeared into his room, closing the door gently behind him. She stood there for a few more minutes, just able to pick up his shuffling movements behind the thick wood door, sighing as she finally walked a few feet to her room, pushing inside and looking around.

As she climbed into bed, drowsiness falling over her, she realized that she still felt warm all over, as if there was fire burning beneath her skin. She hoped, as she drifted off to sleep, that it would still be there in the morning.

 

And the next morning, when she stumbled downstairs, much earlier than usual, to find Zuko sipping on tea and looking out the window at the sunrise, his liquid gold eyes meeting her own as he greeted her quietly, she felt the embers inside her become a warm flame once more.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed it! <3


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